Dermot Martin Doyne

BORN to Irish Immigrants on October 5th, 1962, Dermot grew up in a very working class environment in the center of London. Leaving school at 16 years old with no qualifications, Dermot worked as a car mechanic apprentice. Influenced by the music of the day and football, but also witnessing gang culture associated with the times and little prospects, he decided to embark on the journey of a lifetime which brought him to over 50 countries in 8 years.

After living in a rooming house in the Bronx to the Outback of Australia, to the Paharganj of New Delhi and the rooftop of the world in Tibet, he met the love of his life in London, Tracy and decided he would plant his roots in Boston, Massachusetts in 1994. On his first day in Boston, he secured a job as a waiter at the historic Parker House Hotel, a place that once employed Ho Chi Minh and Malcom X. Of the three, Dermot was the only one who was fired.

Dermot also joined the Laborers Union and whilst working on a construction site in Mission Hill, he came across a dilapidated building that he envisioned could become a landmark restaurant, a venture he had always desired. It was at that moment, Penguin Pizza was born. The bar became a stomping ground for every politician running for office, especially those looking for the Irish vote in the area. Dermot became involved in the local business community and at his peak owned three restaurants. It was at this time he was elected Chairman of Mission Hill Main Streets, a business association of the City of Boston. Dermot was also on several campaign winning mayoral committees and at the age of 50, he went to law school to obtain his Juris Doctorate Degree and at 54, became an attorney. He became a member of the Massachusetts BAR and the Federal BAR. It was at this point, Dermot switched gears and took a position representing Mental Health Litigants in civil matters in the courtroom, which he found some of his most rewarding and meaningful experiences. Since 2022, Dermot has held a position in the US Government.

Within his first year at the job, he ran for office in the Hotel Workers Union and was elected to the executive board in a landslide victory due to his passion for diversity, an inclusive environment, and fair representation. This position allowed him the opportunity to pursue his Bachelor’s degree in Labor Studies with a concentration in Bargaining and Organizing Strategies from the University of Massachusetts. Afterward, he furthered his education by completing a Master’s Degree in Education from Cambridge College.

During his educational endeavors, Dermot also started buying inner city property in a neighborhood he lived in, that was often described as the poorest white neighborhood of America, South Boston. At the time it was rough and people moved out in droves, while Dermot invested in the neighborhood’s future. It was during this time that their son Eamonn was born in 1996. Even though he moved his family to the nearby town of Quincy, Dermot continued working in hotel bars and rose up the power ladder in union politics. He had the chance to become acquainted with Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, and last but not least, Barack Obama.